


Cover Me Up

by ihopehellhaswifi



Series: Just Like Heaven [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, F/M, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 13:14:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11806713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ihopehellhaswifi/pseuds/ihopehellhaswifi
Summary: But home was a dream, one that I'd never seen, until you came along.Gabriel goes home. Fluff and smut ensue.Post-Home (Is Wherever I'm With You); Jacuzzi Heaven request. (Allusions toThe Afterman, andAll the Time in the World)





	Cover Me Up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [marblecas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/marblecas/gifts).



> _But home was a dream, one that I'd never seen, until you came along._
> 
> -Jason Isbell, _Cover Me Up_

You blinked.

 

You blinked again.

 

You stared at the oddly familiar brown ceiling and tried to recall the previous evening.

 

_Evenings?_

 

You remembered hunting a wraith in Lexington. You finished up early in the morning and hauled ass south, aiming for Asheville to help an acquaintance deal with a nest of vamps. The clearing of an interstate rock slide delayed your travel and sent you on several detours; the last of which routed you through a small, historic, roadside attraction of a town in East Tennessee.

 

Running on approximately zero sleep in the last forty-eight hours, eyes bleary in the morning sun, you thanked the nearest acting benevolent deity when your phone rang and your acquaintance, having apparently handled the problem himself, dismissed your assistance.

 

You remembered cruising the town as you attempted to locate a motel, finally pulling off at the first one you saw.

 

You vaguely remembered checking in, collapsing on the worn mattress, and sleeping for almost a day.

 

_And then what?_

 

You frowned, attempting to focus.

 

You remembered waking up... Waking up to the smell of fresh coffee and doughnuts.

 

_Gabriel!_

 

Gabriel had been there.

 

You remembered rolling over, bumping into his chest.

 

“ _Good morning, Sunshine!”_

 

You’d hummed in agreement and, frowning at the overwhelming taste of death and morning in your mouth, you dodged a kiss and slipped out of bed to brush your teeth and shower.

 

You remembered Gabriel joining you.

 

“ _Proven fact, humans can’t reach the dirtiest spot on their backs.”_

 

Lathering a complimentary washcloth with complimentary body wash, you’d laughed and asked for the specific location of said spot.

 

“ _Oh sure! It’s right...”_

 

You felt him move closer. He planted a thumb at the nape of your neck, tracing down between your shoulder blades. He paused, leaning in to murmur.

 

“ _Here.”_

 

He assaulted your the curve of your neck with a series of hungry kisses. At your resulting sigh, he continued his thumb’s trail down your spine before sliding both hands to rest at your waist.

 

Reaching around, he tugged at the washcloth in your hand.

 

You glanced back to meet his eyes, and beheld in them the unwavering shine of want and adoration.

 

“ _Here, sugar,”_ he began, pressing a kiss to your temple. _“Let me.”_

 

His thumb rubbed circles against your hip and your eyes flickered closed. You relinquished the cloth with a sigh of content.

 

Gabriel drew the rag across your skin, carefully washing the past days’ dirt and grime from your neck and arms. Working at the knots in your muscles as he went, he moved across your shoulders and down your back, around your waist and over your tummy, and up, up, up.

  
He cupped one breast with his empty hand as he cleansed the other, lightly tweaking your nipples in the process.

 

With something akin to a whimper, you’d pressed backward and felt the weight of him against your ass. You wiggled against him, and a wave of satisfaction flooded you following his harsh and unnecessary intake of breath.

 

“ _Aw, sweetheart... You don’t know how much I missed this.”_

 

You’d offered him the opportunity to make a wager on that matter as you half-turned against the water to wrap a hand around his cock.

 

You felt the tight shiver that wracked through him as your hand moved over his length. A smirk twitched at corner of your lips and you completed your turn, shifting to your knees.

 

Gabriel’s grip stopped your decent, keeping you upright. You looked at him in question, and he replied in turn with narrowed eyes and a slow, wicked smile. He wagged a finger close to your face, then tapped it against your nose to emphasize his point.

 

“ _Nah-uh-uh! This, right now, is all about you.”_

 

You began to protest, to tell him that this  _was_ as much for you as for him. Rolling his eyes, he backed you against the shower wall and playfully silenced you with a kiss. Breaking away, he trained his eyes to you as his washcloth resumed its trek across your body. 

 

His hands moved gently and with purpose, cleansing, caressing, tending to every inch of you as he slid downward. You shivered beneath his ministrations, thumping your head against the tiles as he slipped the rag between your thighs.

 

He worked his fingers against you, clearly teasing as he carried out his task. His head dropped and he lowered himself, nuzzling your abdomen and lower, across your hip, feathering you with an occasional kiss.

 

Leaving your center, his hands moved around to massage your buttocks. Your back arched reflexively and he took the opportunity to bury his face against your mound and quickly lash his tongue across your slit.

 

You gasped and half moaned at the unfairness of it all, staring him down through watery, half lidded eyes. You felt him rumble with silent, self-satisfied laughter against you as he swiped at your clit again. Your hand found its way into his hair, and you gripped it firmly, pulling back his head.

 

A sigh escaped him at the motion and a look of ecstasy clouded his features. He rolled his neck, capturing your wrist in one hand and placing a wet kiss on your pulse. He met your eyes once more, his own gaze burning with a new intensity.

 

You tugged at his hair again, and he responded with another sharp intake of breath. Brow furrowed, he growled, pushing you back into the wall and pressing his face against your thigh. After a few deep, steady breaths, he resumed drawing the cloth down your leg, his fingers pressing tenderly against your ankle before he tapped your heel. Moving your hands to his shoulders, you balanced on one foot as he massaged the other with the sudsy rag. Groaning, you melted against the wall, struggling to maintain your composure.

 

Carefully, he lowered your foot and signaled that you shift your balance before repeating his work on the other. Once satisfied, he assisted you in regaining your equilibrium, hands bracing your hips, face raised and basking in your growing euphoria. You touched his cheek, and sighing, he leaned into your palm.

 

The water ran cold.

 

“ _What'dya say we finish this show elsewhere?”_

 

His arms wrapping behind your thighs, you squealed as he lifted you. Carrying you from the shower into the rest of the small motel room, he gave your ass a gratuitous two-handed squeeze before unceremoniously dropping you on the bed.

 

Laughing as you bounced against the faded blankets, you shrieked his name and he descended upon you. Hungry lips traveled across your skin, and your laughter gave way to a choked moan. Bracing himself on one arm, he hovered above you, watching you closely as his fingers brushed your inner thigh, sliding up to feel your wetness. You arched against him, lips twitching into a smile as you gasped. Drawing your knees up, you gripped his hips, effectively trapping him between your thighs.

 

You pulled him toward you.

 

“ _Impatient, huh?”_

 

You shushed him, wrapping your arms around his neck and capturing his mouth in a kiss.

 

Barely rising and without breaking your hold on him, he moved his hands to your waist and lifted you slightly. You felt his hardness press against you, teasing at your entrance. Your fingernails grazed his scalp and neck and back, and you rocked into him, an action in equal parts offering and pleading. He groaned against your mouth and surged forward, once, twice, and then...

 

_Bliss_

 

You enveloped him in your warmth, and he broke from your kiss with a sharp intake of breath before burrowing his head into your neck and emitting a soft keening sound.

 

He moved gently at first, if a little erratically. He'd missed you. You'd missed him, too. You moved with him, finding a familiar rhythm. Your motions set the pace and intensity, and you thrust against him, gradually urging him into coupling, frantic and demanding on both of your parts.

 

“ _I've needed you for so long.”_

 

You couldn't recall if he'd said it aloud. You were skin against skin with barely enough room to breathe, and you could have sworn his mouth was on your neck or you collarbone or your breast, but you heard it loud and clear. The want and the loneliness, and some bit of disbelief. Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes and your hold on him tightened, clenching him between your legs. He lifted you further, sliding a hand in the barest space between you and swirling his thumb above the nexus of your union.

 

His tempo increased and you started to lose yourself. You wrapped yourself around him as you fractured, gripping him tightly. You clung to him as his pace stuttered and paused, and he buried himself in you. His head dropped to your chest, words you couldn't understand tumbling from his lips as he stroked your skin. Hypnotized by the gentle rise and fall of him against your breast, you weren't sure when he moved to the side and curled around you.

 

Your eyes felt heavy.

.

The next thing you could remember was waking.

 

Gabriel didn't have to sleep, but sometimes, just sometimes, after a reunion long overdue, he would allow himself to drift somewhere you couldn't follow.

 

He lay with his arms behind his head, sprawled immodestly across the bunched up comforter.

 

You remembered wanting to skirt your fingers across his belly, stopping mid-reach as another thought entered your mind.

 

Smiling, you'd slipped from the bed-- crept to the bath to clean up and put on an almost-clean change of clothes.

 

Locating the stationery on the nightstand, you scribbled a quick note.

 

_Passed a neat-looking candy shop on the way into town. Be back soon._

 

You remembered leaving the room.

 

You remembered navigating back through the old brick streets, taking in the sights and the smells of the farmers' market and the corner stores until you saw it: the colorful paint, the giant cartoon confections on the windows, the pennants proclaiming an impossible selection of 10 ¢ sweets. 

 

Perfection.

 

You couldn't remember what you bought, only the colors and the smells, and the weight of the bag in your hand as you left the store and stopped at the crosswalk.

 

The little man flashed green.

 

You don't remember if you looked both ways. You must have, right? You moved on autopilot, your feet carrying back to the motel.

 

Back to Gabriel.

 

You remembered shouts that drew your attention, turning your face to the sun as something barreled toward you.

 

You remembered a white hot, searing pain.

 

Something pulling you.

 

Then, calm.

\--------------------

 

You woke up beneath an oddly familiar brown ceiling.

 

Or something.

 

It was very close to your face.

 

_Knock knock knock_

 

The structure around you shook and you flailed to your knees, hunkering low to navigate the dimly lit area.

 

Realization dawned on you as your hand grazed the pink Hello Kitty duct tape on the wall.

 

You made your way through a tunnel, into the open space of your kitchen, climbing to your feet.

 

Gabriel stood frozen at the stove, mid-crepe-flip.

 

The air seemed stale, the world felt muted. Your chest tightened.

 

Behind you, someone cleared their throat. You spun, assuming a defensing stance.

 

“Oh, uh, hey! Sorry to scare you,” the sheepish voice came from a short, scruffy looking man. 

 

You scanned the room for a weapon, making note of the box cutter lying in a nearby windowsill.

 

“Oh gosh, look, that's really not necessary,” the man said, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender.

 

You eyed him suspiciously. He didn't seem very intimidating. He had messy dark hair, an unkempt beard, bright soulful eyes, and an overall disheveled appearance.

 

Any other time you'd have pegged him for a performer at any given acoustic open mic night in any given college town across America.

 

But, you knew firsthand just how deceiving looks could be.

 

“What's wrong with him?” You managed to keep your voice fairly level as you jerked your head toward the static Gabriel before continuing, “What the hell is going on, and who the hell are you?” 

 

The man shuffled from one foot to the other and scratched the back of his head.

 

“Um, well, I can answer all of that but maybe not exactly in that order, if that's okay?” He eyed you as you moved closer to the box cutter. 

 

“Look, I mean it, that's really, really--” he cut himself off as you lunged for the potential weapon, grabbing it up and brandishing it at him. “It's so unnecessary,” he finished dumbly. 

 

“Talk.” 

 

He sighed.  
  


“Okay, so, um, big plot twist. You're dead,” he cringed as your eyes widened. 

 

“Fuck off,” you spoke through gritted teeth, taking a step forward. 

 

He raised his hands again.

 

“No, no, seriously. What's the last thing you remember?” He urged. 

 

You paused, lowering the box cutter. It slipped from your fingers and clattered against the floor.

 

Blink.

 

Blink.

 

_Oh fuck me._

 

You could feel the tears welling.

 

“So yeah, you're dead, kiddo. Bit the dust. Fought the good fight and-” 

 

“Did I get hit by a car?” You deadpanned. 

 

“Well--”

  
“I spend my whole life hunting monsters for a living and I get  _iced by a fucking car_ ? What the  _actual fuck_ dude?” 

 

“Yeah, it's a pretty shitty wrap, I'll give you that. But that's why I wanted to talk to you! So, to answer the rest of your questions! He-” he broke off, motioning to Gabriel, “-isn't really him, I guess? I mean, he will be, as far as you're concerned. After I leave. Uh. Not explaining so well, huh?” He asked at your growing frown. 

 

“So heaven works like this-” 

 

“When you die, you relive all your best memories, over and over, _ad infinitum._ Yeah, I already saw that movie. Cried it out, moved on with life. No, who are you? Are you some kinda welcoming committee?” You rubbed your eyes, and gave him another once-over. “Gotta say, you don't exactly look angelic.” 

 

“I mean, do you really even think you've got a leg to stand on with that?” He motioned to Gabriel. His ass cheeks peeked out from the flaps his apron, frozen drifting mid-air. 

 

You nodded back. “Touché.”

 

“I'm here because, well... Because me and Gabriel used to be really close a long time ago. And I have a lot of regrets about the way things went with everyone, and I'm like, really uncomfortable and bad with confrontation, I guess? So I'm trying to make things right, or as right as I can, but I've just been kind of trying to play it by ear and take a sort of hands-off approach with everything,” he rambled on. 

 

“Dude,” you cut him off. “The point.” 

 

He laughed nervously and glanced around.  
  


“Look. You've had a hard life. You've done so much good, and you've suffered so, so much. And you made my-- well, you made Gabriel happy and you gave him peace. You both deserve that, after everything you've been through,” he paused, digging through his pockets.

 

“I want you to have this,” he said, producing a large, old key on a heavy, iron ring. 

 

“What? What for? What is this?” You asked, your mind still whirring from his speech. 

 

“Uh, well,” there came the nervous laugh again, “it's a key.” At your narrowing eyes, he continued. “It's a key to a place, and I've been keeping both of them safe for a really, really, _really_ long time. Here. Just, take it.” He offered it to you again. 

 

Tentatively, you reached out, your fingers brushing the strangely warm metal. They closed around the ring, and you felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity.

 

“Just hang onto that. I think you're going to need it soon,” he finished, smiling gently. 

 

The warmth crept into your chest. Serene and bereft with wonder, you met his eyes.

 

“Who are you?” You breathed. His smile spread into a full-blown grin. 

 

“You won't see me again, and you may not even remember this. But you know what? You can call me Chuck.”

 

You felt the air ripple with energy and his grin faltered. He glanced to the window, which was unusually opaque.

 

“Aaaand that's my cue to leave. It really was great to meet you! Um, maybe not the best circumstances,” apologetically, he excused himself, backing through the hallway, skirting by the sprawling cardboard fort and making his way for the front entrance of the house. 

 

“Wait! Wait!” You urged, moving toward him, but time felt inhumanly slow for you, and he was already at the door. He turned back to meet your desperate gaze. 

 

“I really hope everything works out,” he said, sincerity bleeding through the ambiguity of the sentiment. 

 

And then he was gone.

 

Suddenly, you could move again. You raced across the room, hammering your fists against the door.

 

“Wait! Wait, come back!” You screamed, you heart pounding, eyes burning. You twisted the knob in futility. After a moment, you fumbled for the key, comparing it to the keyhole.

 

Not even close.

 

You cursed, sliding to the floor. You continued to bang on the door as tears streamed down your face.

 

The air crackled.

 

“Good morning, Sunshine!” A voice called from across the house. You froze. 

 

You stood slowly, moving in the direction of the sound as if compelled. You entered the kitchen, slipping the key into your pocket.

 

You don't know where they came from, but the words rose in your throat and tumbled across your lips.

 

“ _My, my. A bonafide fortress.... Are you trying to seduce me, Mister Trickster?”_

 

\--------------------

 

You weren't sure what day it was, although you suspected it didn't matter. Time bled together here.

 

Gabriel held you in your bed, tossing Lemonheads at the TV screen as Nosferatu disintegrated.

 

“ _What an idiot.”_

 

“ _I think it's supposed to be romantic.”_

 

“ _What an idiot.”_

 

He kissed you.

 

When he drew back, you were in the back yard. He pointed at a star in the distance _._

 

“ _The aliens there are pretty much tartan printed fish with legs and duck heads.”_

 

“ _Shut up... Really?”_

 

“ _I swear.”_

 

“ _You're full of shit.”_

 

“ _I made them!”_

 

“ _You made a Looney Tune.”_

 

“ _I-- Oh. Wait.”_

_  
“Dork.”_

 

He rolled over you, laughing, and you were in the box fort. Gripping your hips, he entered you, mouth descending hungrily upon your bare flesh.

 

“ _You're everything.”_

_  
“Everything.”_

 

_Ad Infinitum._

 

\--------------------

 

In the kitchen again, something pierced the veil.

 

Perched on a cracked tile counter, everything became sharper and brighter and  _so much more,_ drawing your attention away from the archangel with his face buried between your thighs. Shaking off the fog, you looked to the doorway and froze.

 

“Honey, I'm home,” Gabriel spoke from his place against the wall, his voice unreadable. 

 

“ _Honey, I'm home.” Lightening flashed._

 

Eyes widening, you glanced at the man before you, back to the one at the door.

 

“This isn't right,” you spoke carefully. You remembered something. Or you thought you did? God, you felt like you'd been asleep for days.

 

Gabriel casually pushed himself away from the wall, making slow, deliberate strides in your direction. He kept his eyes on his duplicate, who continued delving into you like a man starved. You shuddered at the intensity of his stare as a ball of ecstasy unfurled within you.

 

Head tilted and eyes bright, his tongue flicked past his lips, the retreated. He swallowed habitually.

 

“Not that I'm not happy to know I made your Top 20 Countdown, sugar, but this wasn't exactly how I pictured catching up to you,” he confessed, and with the snap of his fingers, the world stood still. 

 

You wracked your brain, trying to make sense of what was happening. This was Gabriel. That was Gabriel. The man on the floor had stopped moving. Gabriel took a few more steps forward, pausing a few feet away from you.

 

You met his eyes, and,  _oh, how they shone_ . 

 

_Gabriel._

 

“Oh god, this isn't right,” you muttered, climbing further up onto the counter. You pushed back the arms of the false angel, and they remained suspended in the air like some kind of strange, uncanny mannequin.  


“I didn't-- I couldn't-- I thought--” you stammered, flushing red hot as you tried to extricate yourself from your current position. 

 

Gabriel's face fell when he saw your panic. Moving to you, he braced your arms with his hands and helped you from the counter top.

 

You shook, feeling embarrassed by your nudity, by your befuddled state of mind, by  _not being able to tell--_

 

Gabriel spoke your name softly at first, so softly you barely registered it, then again with measured force as he took your face in his hands. You stilled, meeting his eyes.

 

“It was me. It was us. It's okay. This is okay. Hell, it's more than okay,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows and glancing downward. For the first time, you noticed the pronounced bulge straining against his pants. 

 

“Oh...”

 

“Oh,” he confirmed before clearing his throat. 

 

“This is what you wanted. Your reward. Yeah, I probably should have waited for a scene change to pop in on you; would have been a little less traumatic, but sugar,” he started, brushing his thumb against your cheek.

 

“It took me so long to find you again,” he finished, choking out the words. 

 

Your tears flowed freely now, and you tossed your arms around his neck, burrowing your face into his chest.

 

“The place was always big, you know?” He murmured into your hair. “Put that with my being absentee for a few millennia, and I had a lot of rocks to look under,” he laughed half-halfheartedly. You shook your head, sniffling into his shirt. 

 

“I could feel you though, you know? You were always there, just out of reach. You wouldn't believe the doors in this place,” he whispered, the ghost of a smile lingering on his lips. 

 

You tensed in his arms. Something itched in your mind.

 

“Sweetheart?” He drew back, searching your face. 

 

“I...” You started, trying to think. “I know something. I...” 

 

You stared past him, beyond the kitchen and the box tunnel, through the house to the front door.

 

You pulled away, looking around the room, frowning as the false Gabriel came into sight again. The real one noticed and snapped his fingers, causing the double to disappear.

 

On the ground, where he had knelt, lay a discarded jacket. You scrambled to it, jerking it on and digging through the pockets.

 

“Something, something,” you hummed. Gabriel approached you with concern darkening his features. 

 

“Sweetheart...” 

 

“Yes!” You shouted, returning to your feet and spinning to face him. 

 

In your hand, you held a large, old key on a heavy, iron ring.

 

You would have sworn that Gabriel blanched.

 

“Where did you get that?” He asked slowly, his voice low. 

 

Brow furrowing, you looked to the object in question, wracking your brain for an answer. Everything still felt so fuzzy. You might have spent years in this heavenly loop for all that you could recall.

 

Closing your eyes, you reached back as far as you could.

 

_Knock knock knock..._

 

_Crawling through the dark..._

 

_Stagnate air in a static world..._

 

_I want you to have this._

 

“There was someone!” You snapped to look at Gabriel. “Someone was here-- when I woke up-- I--” You broke off, looking around the room hopelessly. 

 

_Here. Just, take it..._

 

“They gave it to me... Said I might need it? I--” you stopped again, frustration growing.

 

_The hallway stretched on forever, you were moving so slowly..._

 

_I really hope everything works out._

 

“God, I can't remember!” You shouted, exasperated. Angry tears pricked at the corners of your eyes. 

 

“Hey,” Gabriel began softly, reaching to you. You stepped into his embrace before withdrawing to take his hand between both of yours, folding the key into his palm and squeezing. 

 

“I know it's important,” you said, staring at him sincerely. 

 

He drew a deep breath.

 

“Well, you're not wrong,” he began. He seemed visibly shaken. Looking down, he uncurled his fingers and thumbed the worn, pitted metal. 

 

“You know what it is,” you stated, a sense of relief flooding you. Curious, you turned your face to interrupt his gaze. “Is something wrong?” You asked, uncertain of his distracted demeanor. 

 

Shaking his head, he stepped back and waved to dismiss the thought.

 

“No, no, it's... It's okay. I just haven't seen this in a really, really--”

 

“ _Really long time.”_ You finished with him, somehow knowingly despite the gaps in your memory. 

 

He looked to you, eyes questioning. You shrugged.

 

“There was someone here when I woke up. They gave me the key. I think they said they'd been keeping it safe?” You paused again, thinking. “Yeah, I really feel like it's safe. I'm sorry. I wish I could remember more,” you apologized before continuing: “What is it?”

 

Gabriel held up the ring, drawing in a breath.

 

“ _A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away,”_ he began dramatically. You nudged him, shaking your head. He smirked, lowering the key before continuing. 

 

“Really though. Back then. Before the whole Creation deal, and the people, and the full time, non-stop, real life Family Feud? This was home.” He spoke sentimentally, but his tone carried an edge of resentment. Your fingers twitched at your sides and you longed to reach for him. 

 

He continued.

 

“We were kids, you know? Well, we were never really kids, but we were young and we had literally _everything that was_ at our disposal. We were fearless. But then...” He trailed off. 

 

“Dad always tinkered. He was always making something, right? And sometimes you'd make something of your own and show it off, and he'd tell you that you'd done a good job and that he was gonna put that giant lizard bird right there on the floating rock next to Raphael's volcanoes,” he paused as your eyes widened. “In retrospect, I probably should have always known dad was a dick. Anyway.

 

“Dad made things sometimes that you just didn't wanna deal with. I mean to start with, yeah, when things got out of hand, it was new an exciting and fun, but as time went on? 

 

“Mikey was always playing the good son. He'd stay and help clean up any mess. Raph was right there with him, even he didn't entirely agree. Luce did what was required. Up to a point, of course. 

 

“I came along a little later, and I guess to start with, no one really expected me to do very much. It was right before he made the other lower Orders of my brothers and sisters, and I was a messenger, right? I didn't want to fight. I didn't want to,” his jaw locked as he struggled to swallow the contempt that tasted so bitter on his tongue.

 

Unable to stop yourself, you moved to him. You touched his face and his eyes fluttered shut as he leaned into you.

 

“I figured out how to make these pockets in time. I could go there when I wanted to get away from everything else. I could create anything, be anything. There was a weird freedom in hiding,” he confessed. His lips twitched. 

 

“My brothers though... I could only keep one for so long before they'd find it. They were like bullies breaking toys,” he sighed. Your heart ached for him. 

 

“Eventually, I carved out a spot- the perfect spot- far enough away from the usual family stomping grounds, and that became kind of a safe haven for me when things got really bad. I created wards, sealed it up tight. Made a special lock so I could access it from anywhere up here, whenever I needed.

 

“But then things got even worse, and I started hanging around more on earth. Got caught up in the wrong crowd, or whatever,” he emitted a dry laugh. 

 

“One day I wake up and it's hundreds of years later, and somewhere along the way I've lost the key.”

 

Your eyes widened in realization.

 

“Not that it mattered anyway... Dad was missing, Luce was gone. It was as chaotic up here as it was down there. It wasn't home anymore. It never could be,” he paused, eyes meeting yours. 

 

“Well, it never could have been. But then, there was you.” 

 

He leaned in, pressing his lips to yours, hand moving to cradle the back of your head.

 

You kissed him, and he tasted sweet and wanting and pure. Your fingers twined through his hair and you sighed, melting further into his embrace.

 

Gently bumping his nose against your own, he drew back.

 

“I don't think I'd ever really known home,” he confessed. His arms tightened around you and he pressed a kiss to your temple, staring off beyond you. 

 

The pang in your chest stole your breath, and, once more, you wanted to weep for him. For the things he'd lost, for the things he'd never really had.

 

For the small, imperfect life you'd worked so hard to build together, and how it was ripped from you much more quickly than any fair or loving god could ever possibly allow.

 

_So I'm trying to make things right..._

 

That itch at the periphery of your mind returned. You pressed another kiss to the corner of his mouth and pulled back, touching the nearly forgotten key in Gabriel's hand.

 

“So, whoever left this with me,” you began, getting back to task. “They obviously wanted it to get back to you.”

 

“Yeah. The tricky part being the who of the situation. I never thought anyone knew about the place, let alone the key,” he replied, shaking his head. 

 

“Either way, there's no one left up here that could get past the wards, even if they could use the key to find it. It would have taken another archangel. _Maybe_ if you got a super crafty human who was _really_ good with Enochian,” he conceded. “I ran into this guy a couple of times when I was looking for you. Luchador mask and cape. Basically couch surfing other people's heavens.” He sounded thoroughly impressed. 

 

“No shit?” You asked, shocked such a thing was even possible. Gabriel nodded in confirmation.

 

“Oh yeah. Human ingenuity. Most angels though? They aren't that creative. I just broke the mold, sweetheart,” he finished, waggling his eyebrows. You snickered, shaking your head before redirecting his attention to the key.

 

“Then who do you think...?” You trailed off in question. 

 

“I don't know,” he admitted. The two of you momentarily stared at the item in silence. 

 

“So,” you began slowly, “You about ready to take this baby out for a test drive?”

 

Gabriel's eyes flickered to yours, wariness flashing across his features.

 

“Maybe you should stay he-”

 

“Not a chance,” you cut him off, a face of resolve. He frowned. 

 

“You said no other angels could break the wards? And I'm almost positive that whoever left this with me wasn't a heaven-hopping human. It sounds like the most likely scenario is: Another angel found the key, tried it out, realized it was yours, and has been holding onto it. Literally the worst scenario I can think of is that another archangel messed with it, then left the key with someone else? Maybe? But that seems unnecessarily elaborate, and even if that were the case, I'd wanna be right there with you,” you rambled. Gabriel shot you a mock long-suffering stare.

 

“But seriously? I remember feeling safe. I don't think this is bad,” you finished, urging him to consider his options. He nodded, rolling your words around in his mind.

 

“Okay,” he stated, shrugging. 

 

“Okay?” 

 

“Okay,” he repeated. “Alright. Let's blow this popsicle stand.” He grinned, a look that you returned before pressing another kiss to his lips. 

 

“Okay.” 

 

Drawing apart, the two of you turned to face the door at the end of the hall. Together, you traversed the distance and, standing at the threshold, Gabriel took one of you hands in his, interlocking your fingers.

  
He searched your face, and you nodded in response to his silent question. Turning, he squared his shoulders and held the key to the door. You watched in awe as the plate shifted before you, the lock changing to conform to the key's shape.

 

He pressed it into the cylinder.

 

A moment passed.

 

Slowly, his hand turned over the latch.

 

_Click._

 

Bracing himself, he cast a final look in your direction before resolutely pushing across the frame. Not relinquishing your hold on him, you followed closely behind.

 

\---------------------

 

The door groaned to a close somewhere at your back, thudding shut with decidedly more force than of what you thought it should be capable. It sounded much larger, much older on this side.

 

Not that you could tell.

 

Darkness pressed in on you, suffocating in its relentlessness. You still held Gabriel's hand, and you squeezed it tightly in an attempt to silently communicate your growing unease.

 

Was this the void? Could you even survive here?

 

A thousand thoughts raced through your mind, your panic taking exponentially more control of your processes with each passing second.

 

“Hang on,” you heard Gabriel mutter. He sounded so nonchalant. How could he sound so nonchalant? You're drifting off into space, and he says, “Hang on.” Really? 

 

Your heart pounded in your ears. You tried to focus. Why did you even have a heartbeat anymore? Were you just imagining it as a reflexive hysterical response? You'd think, as a dead person, you'd just be more innately equipped to react in these situations, but apparently not. Either way, the sound reverberated within you, so loudly that you nearly missed the jingle of the keyring as Gabriel slipped it into his pocket.

 

He turned to you, placing his free hand on your shoulder.

 

You trembled beneath his touch.

 

Becoming slightly more aware of your present state, he grazed your face and pressed a kiss to your forehead.

 

“Hey, sweetheart,” he soothed. “It's okay. Everything's fine. The wards held up. I just haven't paid the light bill in a while s'all. Here.” 

 

He wrapped you in his arms and grew still. Gradually, the surrounding space grew heavy and dense, a sensation not unlike standing outside during a thunderstorm. The hairs on your arms and the back of your neck stood on end, and Gabriel's skin hummed were it touched your own.

 

A pale blue light flickered an aura around him, allowing you the faintest glimpse of his heavily lidded eyes and the firm set of his jaw.

 

The light flitted around him in tendrils. As you watched it disappear into him, it dawned on you: He was siphoning energy out of thin air.

 

Amazed, you beheld the spectacle for those precious few moments until the fragile lights faded and you were once more cloaked in darkness.

 

Stepping back, but keeping one hand firmly on you, you heard Gabriel draw in a deep breath.

 

He snapped his fingers.

 

\--------------------

 

You were standing in your hall.

 

In fact, it looked almost identical to the one you'd left on the other side of the door-- Sans giant, sprawling cardboard box fort.

 

“I can bring it back, if you want,” Gabriel offered from his place at your side. Tentatively, you released his hand and gave a small wave to, at least momentarily, dismiss the idea. 

 

You stepped forward, moving toward the living room.

 

Everything looked the same.

 

Well, almost.

 

A 'Welcome Home' banner hung in the corner of the room; a few streamers dangled at the edges and some stray balloons skimmed across the ceiling.

 

And, in passing, you considered that this TV might be a bit larger than the one you left behind.

 

But, you digressed.

 

Your bookshelves, your favorite mug on your watermarked end table.

 

The small crack in the front window. The wear patterns, like ley lines, navigating the floors.

 

A framed cork-board, covered with snapshots from an old Polaroid Gabriel had dug up for one of your birthdays.

 

You drifted to it, touching the blind, backwards selfie you'd taken of the both of you: your face scrunched up in laughter, half out of frame; Gabriel's, a mixture of wonder and devotion, eyes glinting and alight.

 

Your pictures.

 

Your memories.

 

“Gabriel,” you breathed, blinking back tears for what must have been the hundredth time since your reunion. Hearing him move behind you, you leaned into him. 

 

“If you want something else, just say the word,” he rubbed your forearms, resting his head on your shoulder and swaying slightly. “This was the first thing that came to mind. Figured it'd be a safe bet. But anything you want; just say it. Anything you can dream up, I can make happen,” he paused, turning you to face him. “And I do mean _anything,”_ he finished with a wink and a smirk, and your heart melted. 

 

A smile overtook your features and you took his face in your hands, showering him in kisses.

 

“It's... It's absolutely perfect,” you swore. “I... I can't even begin to tell you how much this means to me. To be here. With you. This is--” you broke off, eyes darting about as you searched, to no avail, for the words to express your full range of emotions. Helpless, you sighed, placing your hand over his heart. Fidgeting, you smoothed down his shirt before continuing: 

 

“What about you?” 

 

He paused, cocking his head to one side, lips pursed.

 

“What about me?” 

 

Something close to a giggle escaped your chest, and you coughed. Sliding your thumbs along the seams of his jacket, you met his gaze once more.

 

“This is perfect for me. This is home. I think that-- I think everywhere I was, in the other place, was somewhere here with you. Right now, I seriously can't ask for anything else. I feel like I've been given more than I deserve as it is,” you confessed. He started to speak, cut off as you continued. 

 

“But you? You just got your sandbox back. You've gotta have _loads_ of ideas,” a sly smile crept across your features. “I'd _love_ to hear some of them,” you finished. 

 

Gabriel's hands slipped to your hips, fingernails grazing the skin beneath your coat, and you were reminded of just how little stood between you in that moment.

 

“ _Really?”_ The question dripped from his mouth, a hungry drawl. It fascinated you: how someone with the ability to appear so innocuous and nondescript, could transform into something so apparently predatory and lethal at the slightest inclination. 

 

Heat flooded your nether regions and you felt yourself tighten reflexively. A subtle tremor passed through you, and you swallowed.

 

“Really,” you confirmed, eyes wide and wanton. You met him for a hot, open-mouthed kiss, which you repeated, trailing across his jaw, down to his collarbone, where you were forced to stop by the fabric of his shirt. Dragging the tip of your nose in a lazy trail up his neck, you flicked his earlobe with your tongue before briefly tugging it between your teeth and basking in his resulting groan. 

 

“You know I love a good surprise,” you teased. 

 

“Oh, sugar,” his words hissed through clenched teeth. His hands slid from your waist, dropping to grip the backs of your thighs as he hoisted you aloft. You squealed at the sudden movement, locking your ankles behind his back and bracing yourself on his shoulders in response. Nudging open the jacket, he nipped at the inner swell of your breast before redirecting his attention upwards. 

 

“You better believe I've got a few tricks up my sleeve,” he winked. Your ensuing chortle was cut short as he pushed you against the nearest wall, capturing your nipple between his teeth and coaxing it into a hardened pebble against his tongue. 

 

You gasped, impulsively rocking against him. Tangling your fingers through his hair, you shuddered as he repeated his ministrations on your other breast. He pressed against you, grunting as he felt the heat of your wetness seeping through the rough material of his trousers; eyes fluttering shut, your head bumped against the wall as your back arched in return.

 

His mouth burned a path across your chest, and his hands deftly followed. Capturing your wrists, he pinned you to the wall before descending upon your lips once more.

 

He felt like silk and honey, and tasted the part of the latter. Firm and gentle; fierce and yet so very cautious. You felt him everywhere. You were drowning. He commanded, and you yielded unto him. You couldn't breathe. You didn't need to.

 

He made to move away and your teeth scraped against his bottom lip, biting down and drawing him back in with fervor. You felt him grin, sharp and animalistic against you as he returned the favor.

 

Your soul felt aflame. He might consume you, but you could very well burn him alive in the process. He ground against you, his cock stiff and weeping, spurred on by this strange battle for dominance: A battle that no one would win-- one that no one wanted to.

 

Ripping his mouth from you, he pressed his forehead against yours. Releasing a wrist, he carefully cradled your face, running the pad of his thumb across your now-bruised lip. Cheekily, your tongue flicked out to swipe against it. Gabriel suppressed another groan, sliding his thumb to rest on your chin.

 

He studied you, a mirror image of his own wild eyes and shameless need.

 

Tricks could wait.

 

_It took me so long to find you again._

 

Something broke in both of you.

 

Allowing your feet to drop to the floor, your hands slid between you as you fought to free the button on Gabriel's pants. Your fingers shook, fumbling against the tiny brass one, two, three times before it popped through the hole. Gabriel exhaled a short laugh at your yelp of victory-- his voice keening as you rapidly dispensed of the zipper, slipping through the slit of his boxers to take his balls in your palm.

 

His hips stuttered forward as you gently squeezed him. He felt hot and taut and heavy in your hand. Bracing himself against the wall on either side of your head, he shuttered as your nails drew lightly across his scrotum, fingers sliding to encircle the base of his shaft.

 

His mouth found yours again, and he nearly whimpered as your hand left him. Your tongue darting between his lips, you smiled into him, pushing at his waistband and shoving his offending articles of clothing down his thighs. You found him again, alternating between steady pumps and ghosting touches upon the velvety expanse of his skin. Dragging your thumb upward along his manhood, you applied pressure to that most sensitive point beneath the head. Pre-cum beaded up, dripping against your hand. Stroking, you smoothed the slippery substance along the length of him.

 

His breath growing increasingly erratic, he surged against you. Taking hold of your face, he moved, pulling you away from the wall. He broke your kiss, and you barely registered the impish quirk to his lips as his hands caressed your shoulders.

 

He shoved you.

 

Not in a particularly violent manner, but forcefully enough to knock you off balance.

 

Your surprised shriek lilted into relieved laughter as you tumbled backwards onto an impossibly soft mattress, Gabriel following your descent.

 

He propped himself above you, waiting for your giggles to subside, mirth and anticipation transparent on his face. Collecting some semblance of composure, you drew him closer.

 

His hands danced across your body, seemingly navigating by map of every touch that could leave you writhing. The sensations became overwhelming.

 

Rising on your elbows, you attempted to shrug off your jacket. Bracing an arm against your back, Gabriel tugged the article free. Releasing you, he tossed it behind him.

 

You came together again, a mutual strike. Gabriel shed his own coat as your fingers brushed against his abdomen, taking hold of the hem of his shirt and dragging it over his head. Light glinted golden off his mussed, curling hair, and time seemed to slow for you as you watched him move.

 

He kicked off his boots; his pants soon joined them on the floor.

 

And then, he was back on his knees, crawling up to meet you, overloading your senses with every brush and lick and bite and scrape.

 

Reality crashed around you as he hoisted your legs over his shoulders. Your hips in his hands, he guided himself to you, sliding his cock against your opening, coating himself in your juices.

 

You stretched your arms above your head, grasping in futility for a wall or a headboard, or anything to give you the leverage you needed to thrust back against him. Falling back in resignation, you hands twisted the silken sheets into knots, and you arched into him as far as your could. Your eyes screwed shut, a desperate cry escaped you.

 

You felt him stretch forward, pushing your knees closer to your chest. Lolling your head to one side, you whimpered and swiveled your pelvis against him.

 

“ _Please,”_ you bit out. There'd be time for games later. 

 

“Sweetheart,” he urged before whispering your name. He pressed a kiss to your calf, then another against your kneecap. 

 

“Look at me.”

 

Raw with emotion, his voice resonated within you. Your eyes flickered open, heavily lidded slits weighed down with lust.

 

You saw him. Really saw him. You saw his desire and hope; his fear and desperation. How absolutely he needed this contact, this reassurance that you were real and there and with him.

 

That you'd never be anything other.

 

One shaking hand trailed up your arm to twine between your fingers. The other gripped your hip so tightly, you wondered if you might still bruise.

 

“Gabriel,” you breathed, your free hand resting on his cheek. Your voice hitched. 

 

“Gabriel, I--” He surged forward, sheathing himself in you entirely with one long, powerful thrust. Your words shattered into a sharp cry, which Gabriel hungrily devoured. A tremor wracked your body and the sheets in your grasp shredded. 

 

He held his position, feeling your body relax around him. His kisses grew leisurous as he pulled back, gaze locking with your own as he withdrew from you almost completely.

 

Slowly, tortuously so, he reentered you.

 

He kept this pace, circling slightly as he moved. His eyes remained on yours even as you tried to spur him. With this position, he'd effectively trapped you. You tried to rock your hips, to cant into him: anything to relieve this building tension.

  
As his next stroke brought him to you, you dug your heel into his shoulder, pulling him flush against you. He faltered, attention wavering at the sensation of your nails scraping against his neck.

 

Your lips brushed, feather light against his own.

 

“ _Please,”_ you whispered the plea, almost a prayer. 

 

His eyes fell shut and he captured the back of your head, yanking you down to attack your neck. He thrust into you twice more before withdrawing abruptly and allowing you ankles to drop to the bed.

 

You tried to sit up, but he fell upon you, ravenous. He plunged into you swiftly and with abandon. His growing velocity elicited another shameless sound from your throat. You wrapped your legs around his waist, leveraging yourself to take him in further, calling out as he filled you.

 

Gabriel's momentum built and he slammed into you with succinct, punctuated movements. You felt a familiar pressure unfurling within you. Back arched, arms thrown around his neck, you ground against him. In a moment, light burst behind your eyes and you were falling through space and time. You collapsed against the bed, fluttering around him.

 

His thrusts built to a bruising crescendo and you clung to him as he shuddered, burying himself to the hilt, seed spilling deep within you.

 

He rested atop you briefly before shifting to move. You tightened your hold on him.

  
“I'll squish you,” his tried to enunciate, face pressed against your breast.  
  


You watched him there, laying on you, breathing, sweating, resting.

 

He appeared so plainly and unremarkably human.

 

“It's okay,” you mumbled in reply. “Not like I'm gonna get any deader.” You saw his brow twitch before smoothing out. He hummed in agreement, conceding and flattening himself further against you. 

 

Gaze drifting to the ceiling, you became fully cognizant of the fact that you were no longer in your house. Or Gabriel's version of it, anyway.

 

You'd of likely noticed sooner if you hadn't been so... Distracted.

 

You peered around the area, taking in as much as you could from your current position of limited mobility.

 

Lots of white. Mirrors. You could tell from the light refracting on the wall that a disco ball spun somewhere nearby.

 

The bed should have been a dead giveaway.

 

It could have been something straight out of the 70s: over-sized, heart-shaped, covered in red silk.

 

Absently, you felt for the spots you'd ruined.

 

There were probably way more where that came from.

 

Gabriel raised himself up, interrupting your observations.

 

“What's up, buttercup?” He looked pointedly to where your hand picked at the tears in the sheet. 

 

“Aw, nothing,” you smirked. “Just hoping we won't have to pay damages for wrecking the honeymoon suite.” 

 

Slipping to your side, he laughed as he trailed his fingers across your belly.

 

“Yeah, I don't think we have anything to worry about. I know the owner. Guy knows how to have a good time,” he assured you. 

 

You curled in on yourself, rotating to face him.

 

“That so?” 

 

“Oh yeah,” he replied, tracing your frame from your hip, across your breast. “Real wild child, that one. Loves an old fashioned room-trashing.” 

 

Draping a leg across his hip, you rolled to straddle him, shivering as your aching body protested the movement.

 

“Sounds like someone I'd like to meet,” you teased. “This guy gotta girlfriend?” You nipped at him, and slow smile spread across his face. 

 

“You know it. Hot item like that doesn't just sit around on a shelf for too long,” he ardently supplied. 

 

“Oh,” you flopped back with an exaggerated sigh, melodramatically hiding your face.

 

“What a shame. Sounds like we coulda had a lot of fun together.” 

 

“Oh yeah?” Gabriel asked, curiosity piqued. 

 

Your thoughts drifted to Gabriel's arrival and your embarrassment in the kitchen, and how under most any other circumstances, two Gabriels might have prompted an entirely different response. Likely, one more akin to his own.

 

You hummed in confirmation.

 

Gabriel cleared his throat. “Well, I could always call him up,” he offered, feigning nonchalance. You giggled, then groaned at the twinge between your thighs.

 

“Hmm, another time,” you promised. Moving into Gabriel's arms. “I'm sore.” 

 

He thought for a moment, tracing absent patterns along your back.

 

“Pretty sure I've got just the thing for that.” 

 

“Magic dick?” You mumbled into his neck.

 

A pause.

 

“I mean...” 

 

You snorted.

 

“If that's what it takes,” he laughed, rolling atop you once more. His touch immediately banished whatever pain you'd felt, simultaneously fanning a newly kindled flame. You gasped at the barrage of sensations, whimpering as they came to an abrupt halt. 

 

“Although,” he began, pulling away, “it wasn't exactly what I had in mind.”

 

“Tease,” you grumbled, head dropping heavily against the bed. 

 

“You're gonna like it,” he sang, leaning in to press a kiss against your ear. Your sullen facade crumbled as a smile twinged at the corners of your lips. 

 

“Fine,” you feigned exasperation. 

 

“ _Fine,”_ Gabriel mocked with an eye-roll, sitting back on his knees. You propped on your elbows, gaining a better view of the room. 

 

“You don't sound very excited. Maybe I'll just keep it to myself after all,” he pouted, doing a fantastic impression of a child preparing to take their toys and leave. Still, he couldn't hide the twinkle in his eyes. 

 

“Aw, come on,” you grinned. “I'll be good.” Pushing yourself further upright, you rested on your hands. 

 

Gabriel raised an eyebrow.

 

“Promise?” He smirked.

 

You swayed slightly, the very picture of innocence.

 

“Promise,” you nodded.

 

“In that case,” he started. He raised one hand with no small amount of flair, pausing for effect.

 

_Click_

 

Following the snap of his fingers, you immediately noticed the lights dim. Low music filtered into range. Somewhere nearby, a thud sounded and you felt a cool burst of air against your skin.

 

“What-?” You laughed, moving to peek around Gabriel. 

 

Across the room, a pair a french doors had burst open. Their curtains billowed in a steady breeze.

 

Outside, it appeared to be night.

 

You looked to Gabriel in question and he rose from the bed, taking you by the hand. You allowed him to help you to your feet.

 

You looked around the rest of the room.

 

It was so ridiculously Gabriel.

 

You loved it.

 

An overstuffed couch made out of some fabric you would  _never_ want to have to clean. A sound system that would have probably cost more than your car in the real world. Tiny, shimmering cellophane hearts streaming from the ceiling. Candles melting on ever non-flammable surface.  _Shag carpet!_

 

Cataloging that last item, you threw your head back in laughter.

 

“Oh gosh,” you choked. “Oh this is awesome.” 

 

Gabriel's eyes shone with mirth. Stepping down from the bed's riser, he made his way to the open dining area where an enormous spread of fresh fruit covered the table. Shrouding yourself in the tattered silk sheet, you watched him move.

 

Flame and shadow danced against his skin, contouring the ripple of muscle and bone as he traversed an area that suddenly seemed impossibly small for him. A sliver of something golden, almost glittering, caught your eye.

 

Mesmerized, you watched his back.

 

When you lay together, he tried to make himself smaller. Less of a force. Carefully restrained energy.

 

But this? Unthinking and unabashed, this was Gabriel baring all.

 

The sliver appeared again in your periphery, drifting around him before vanishing. You squinted, and another glimmered into view. Then another, and another. They moved with him: hovering above his shoulders, at his sides, dragging along the floor behind him.

 

Maybe if you could just focus...

 

“Snack?” Gabriel asked, turning to you, strawberry in hand. He swirled it through a bowl of whipped cream before popping it into his mouth. 

 

You blinked.

 

The tracers vanished.

 

Wide-eyed, you redirected your attention to his face.

 

“Huh?”

 

Gabriel's grin was wolfish.

 

“Like what you see?” He quipped. 

 

Shaking off you prior preoccupation, you shot him a small smile as you descended in his wake.

 

“Hey, you know that booty drives me wild.” You closed the space between you in a few long, slow strides and were rewarded with a cream-covered morsel of fruit and a heated kiss. You took a moment to give said booty a squeeze, eliciting a bark of laughter from him. 

 

“I knew it; you only want me for my ass,” he lamented. “It's been this way since the beginning of time. I thought you were different!” 

 

You held him to you in spite of his insincere struggle.

 

“Oh, I don't know about that,” you began. Your hand slid around his hip and over his thigh, and you stroked his cock thoughtfully. 

 

“I'm pretty fond of the whole package,” you finished, smiling cheekily before abandoning him to nibble on another piece of fruit. 

 

“And I'm the tease,” Gabriel groaned in frustration, shaking his head. 

 

“Yup,” you popped the 'p'. Your attention returned to the double doors, and you cocked your head. 

 

“Where are we, anyway? I mean apart from the obvious. What's this place supposed to be?” 

 

“Porno set,” he deadpanned. You almost choked on a grape. At your look of incredulity, he continued. 

  
“Hey, an artist finds inspiration everywhere,” he winked. “It's bits and pieces I picked up from here and there. Made some improvements. Wait til you see the giant beanbag.” He quirked a brow.

 

“Mmm,” you agreed, distractedly gravitating towards the doors. From the bed, all you'd been able to make out was darkness. As you grew closer, a railing came into view. A treeline appeared, deep blue-green in the apparent moonlight. Stepping across the threshold, you found yourself on an impressive balcony staring up at a sky utterly brimming with stars.

 

In the surrounding forest, fireflies flashed: standard yellow and green and orange and blue, and then impossible purples and reds and eerie whites.

 

“ _Holy shit,”_ you breathed. 

 

“I mean, I wouldn't call it shit,” Gabriel countered, appearing at your back. 

 

“It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my entire life.” Bewildered, you moved until your hands gripped the rail. 

 

“Technically-” Gabriel began, quieting as you flipped him a bird. Behind you, he took in your figure, beheld by your wonderment, how you gazed, enraptured, at the world around you. 

 

A world he'd built for you.

 

“It really is,” he softly confirmed. 

 

He cleared his throat, shaking you from your reverie. Arms came around your waist, his chin propping on your shoulder.

 

“And that wasn't even the surprise,” he allowed, smugness creeping into his voice. 

 

Your eyes widened.

 

“Are you serious?” 

 

Swaying so that you both turned back towards the house, he made a sweeping gesture to one corner of the balcony.

 

Dozens of candles flamed alive, illuminating a, once more, comically heart-shaped and red, jacuzzi. Two glass flutes sat on a silver tray near the edge, surrounded by several bottles.

 

“Holy shit,” you repeated, “Is that-?”

 

“I have to confess,” he began, addressing your unasked question. “I didn't take into account the problems you'd get with a champagne jacuzzi in practical application. I mean, jacuzzis are supposed to be hot, for one, and champagne is, well, not. Also I'm not sure that the sticky you'd get would be the kind of sticky you'd want. So I opted for the guaranteed fun of a normal jacuzzi and enough champagne to tank a bull elephant. But if you really, really had your heart set on a literal champagne jacuzzi, well sugar, I can-” 

 

Spinning on your heal, you yanked him in for another impassioned kiss. Your silken shawl drifted to the floor.

 

“It's perfect,” you assured him, drawing away. Doing a little shuffle of happiness, you almost skipped to the tub. “Freaking boozy hot tub, hells yeah!” You rambled on, sing-songy as you tested the water with your foot before gradually lowering yourself into it. Once inside, you submerged yourself completely. 

 

The water shifted as Gabriel joined you. When you reemerged, he offered one of the now-filled champagne flutes, which you generously accepted, tossing it back.

 

“What?” You asked at his bemused expression. “I don't even know how much I have to drink to get a buzz now. Oh god, can I get a buzz? Can you get drunk in heaven? Can dead people get drunk at all?” Horrified, your eyes darted between the empty glass, Gabriel, and the open bottle beside him. 

 

He cackled.

 

“Sweetheart, anyone can get drunk with enough hooch. Now, it might take a literal jacuzzi full... But you shouldn't have any problem with that,” he teased. 

 

With a playful scowl, you cut your hand across the surface of the water, spraying him in the face.

 

He sputtered. Narrowing his eyes, he drained his own glass and set it aside.

 

You drew in a breath and braced yourself in anticipation of his retaliation.

 

With a look of heavy concentration, he rubbed his hands together. Then, interlocking his fingers, palms out, he drew them to his chest before blasting them forth and sending a veritable tidal wave in your direction.

 

You went under, but moved with the undertow and resurfaced inches away from him, squirting a mouthful of water in his face.

 

“Cheater,” you shrieked as he sent another wave your way. Jumping through it, you dove toward him. 

 

“Honey, I though you knew I played dirty,” he laughed. Grasping his shoulders, your knees floated up to pin him against the hot tub bench. Jets pulsed water on either side of you. 

 

“Yeah well, don't forget,” you leaned in, teeth grazing his ear. “I like to play dirty, too.” 

 

With that, you pushed yourself beneath the bubbling water.

 

Below the surface, your hands found Gabriel's calves and you anchored yourself into a kneeling position between his knees. Experimentally, you opened your eyes. You were pleased to find that the water did nothing to burn you. Additionally, you realized that reflexive tightening of your chest upon submersion had passed.

 

You didn't feel the need to breathe.

 

You supposed their were some fringe benefits of being dead. _Yay, go heaven_.

 

Pushing your face against his inner thigh, your tongue darted out to swipe up the length of his growing erection.

 

Above you, his body jerked. Encouraged, you propelled forward again, this time taking the head of his cock between you lips. You swirled your tongue into the tip before bobbing down to further engulf him.

 

He fully hardened under you attention. One of his hands found your shoulder while the other grasped for the back of your head. Not forceful, not yet, but holding, and very much trying to keep some semblance of control.

 

Your tongue drew pressure along the underside of his shaft before flattening against his frenulum, then trailing along the ridges. Relaxing your throat, you took in all of him. His grip on you tightened, hips thrusting upward of their own accord. Surging in retaliation, your tongue flicked out against his balls and you tightening your lips around him.

 

You moved this way, drifting together, senses blurred by roaring water and absolute need.

 

Gradually, you pulled back, teeth gently scraping against his most sensitive skin as you withdrew. Assaulting him with a series of laps and soft kisses, you assuaged any potential discomfort.

 

Then, you descended upon him with fiendish delight.

 

You felt him rock forward, hand gripping the back of your neck. You could hear nothing, but after a moment you felt him tug at your elbow.

 

He throbbed against the back of your throat.

 

You reached upward, locating his wrist and giving it a gentle squeeze. He stilled, then, allowing himself absolution in the moment, returned his hand to your head.

 

He came in heavy spurts. Unrelenting, you milked him for everything he had to give until his grip on you loosened and his legs hung lax at your sides.

 

Pushing yourself off his knees, you resurfaced.

 

Gabriel had propped himself in a sprawl, arms spread wide and draped along the edges of the jacuzzi, head dropped back in ecstasy. Beaming, you took in his heavily lidded eyes and slack jaw.

 

You resumed your previous position straddling him.

 

You rained kisses along the damp skin of his neck, resting your head against his chest.

 

A moment passed. Then another. Gabriel remained silent.

 

Curiously, you glanced up at him.

 

“Everything okay?” 

 

His chest rumbled and he emitted a low, satisfied groan. His arms crossed behind your shoulders and he squeezed.

 

You nipped at his chin.

 

“Hmm?” You teased. 

 

He blinked slowly, casting his eyes to the stars before allowing them to drift shut.

 

“So,” he began, “not having to breathe--” 

 

“I know, right??” You cut him off, jerking back to fully see his face. His hands slipped to your waist, fingers dancing across your hip bones. 

 

“I mean not that I've ever had any complaints,” he amended.

 

“But that was freaking awesome!” You interrupted. “I mean seriously awesome. Dude. It's like a superpower. I am the Underwater Blow Job Queen. I need a crown. One of those bachelorette party crowns. Made of dicks. And a trident! Also made of dicks,” you rambled. 

 

“...What's the trident for?” He asked, cautiously opening one eye. 

 

“Poking things, of course,” you grinned mischievously, reaching beneath the water to grab at his ass. 

 

“Poking things?” He repeated, jerking to life at your touch and returning the favor. 

 

The two of you twirled in the water, a laughing, groping tangle of limbs. Then, without ceremony, you found yourself spun and trapped against the jacuzzi wall.

 

“I do enjoy poking things,” Gabriel confessed, dropping kisses along the shell of your ear. You felt the length of him bob against your buttocks, and you choked on a gasp as his teeth sank down at the apex of your neck and shoulder.

 

Pleasantly floundering, you felt one of his hands twine through your hair while the other rested on your abdomen. Pushing you closer to the wall, he nudged the backs of your knees with his own until you were kneeling on the seat. Then, in a quick movement, you were half bent across the ledge and  _oh god, the jets..._

 

He'd lined you up with a burst of water, the stream pulsing against your labia and clitoris. You gripped the edge of the tub as Gabriel guided your thighs further apart. You felt the head of his cock press against your opening, and your senses began to overload. He entered you quickly, and with as much force as the position allowed, stretching you gloriously.

 

He set the pace entirely, and you braced yourself between Gabriel and the wall. Pulling out almost completely, he drove into you again and again. The waves he created carried your body with them, the intensity of the jets ebbing and flowing as you moved.

 

You were overwhelmed. A tightness grew in your belly; you felt closer with every push.

 

His tempo increased, shortening time between the pulses against your mound. Your climax coursed through you, and you surged against him, clinging to the edge of the jacuzzi as you rode out the bombardment of sensations that wracked your entire being.

 

His onslaught continued, driving you further against the wall until you felt him tense behind you. Another quick few thrusts and he buried himself in you, achingly deep. His mouth found your neck, pressing heavy kisses in a trail to your ear, and he rasped your name. You felt him pulse into your still-fluttering core, forcing another series of tremors throughout your body. You cried out, and he turned your head to capture your lips as he rocked out his orgasm against you.

 

The world came back into focus with you draped across the ledge, figuratively breathless but honestly exhausted. Gabriel rested against you, arms around your waist, face pressed into your shoulder. You didn't know how much time had passed. It felt like any eternity, consumed by the heated tide, absorbed in one another.

 

Stirring, Gabriel slipped from you and you trembled from his absence. He slid to the bench, pulling you onto his lap. You lolled to one side, observing him through lidded eyes. One hand caressed your cheek and traced along your jaw. He smirked, and you thought he almost looked tired.

 

“And does the non-champagne jacuzzi satisfy the lady?” He quirked a brow.

 

You emitted a pleased groan, swinging one leg into the water as you stretched languidly.

 

“There are no words,” you sighed. Your eyes felt heavy, and you rested your head against his chest. A soft breeze toyed with your hair and cooled the water on your exposed skin. You shivered.

Gabriel's chin rested on the top of your head.

 

“Reflexes,” he mused, eyeing the goose flesh along your collarbone. He trailed a finger across the tiny bumps. “Like zapping a dead frog,” he explained. You nodded, huddling closer to him and further submerging yourself.

 

“We can go back inside,” Gabriel offered.

 

You watched the surrounding candlelight dancing in the wind. Gabriel followed your gaze.

 

“We can,” you agreed after a moment. “We can do anything we want, can't we?” A slow, drowsy smile spread across your face.

 

Gabriel paused, and might have sworn his heart stuttered. His throat felt dry, and he felt his chest tighten. Swallowing, he pressed a kiss to your temple.

 

“Yeah, sweetheart.” He retrained his stare to the twinkling lights. With inhuman agility, he lifted you and exited the tub.

 

The breeze grew stronger as Gabriel stood you on your feet, wrapping you in your silken shroud.

 

One by one, the flames flickered out. Gabriel lifted you again, carrying you across the balcony's threshold as the last lights died in you periphery.

 

He laid you down on your bed, the bed from the home you'd shared with him on earth; same walls, same ceiling- home, familiar. He laid you down, and his voice came as a whisper; strained and sincere, and very much a promise.

 

“We can do anything we want.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> After I posted my last fic, some StuffHappened™, and I only recently got back into the mindset of writing. This was written based on a suggestion from marblecas, to whom I'm incredibly grateful for providing me with a purposeful jumping off point. I'm also incredibly grateful to everyone who reviewed during the time I disappeared from the face of the earth, even if I haven't been able to reply directly. Your words gave me the confidence to pursue doing what I really love. Thank you all.


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